i am there attorney. we were the first in california to announce that we would challenge the ban on marriage equality. we fought for six years. twice in the supreme court in california. we made the argument against proposition 8. we also argued that even though we thought it was unconstitutional, that the 18,000 couples who had married after our first victory in the californian supreme court, that those marriages should remain valid. , robertr first victory and diane were able to marry. the 18,000 bubbles are permitted to -- the 18,000 couples are permitted to have their urges remain valid. we would like them to overturn proposition 8. thank you very much. >> i just want to say one thing. there are 36,000 gays and

lesbians who are married in california. 2000 couples. what would would it harm if more couples got married? we have been married for five years. california has not dropped into the sea. nothing has happened in california. they -- they call this an experiment in the supreme court. we are not an experiment. we are a civil rights movement. i hope they come down on the right side of history guess it is not a matter of if we will be able to marry. this a matter of when will issue be solved. we will eventually because the public is on our side. i thank you. .> that his robin this is diane. her south -- her spouse. she is the granddaughter of a former governor of california. filed an amicus in this case. in the perry case that was heard this morning. i filed it on behalf of the

women's rights legal defense and education fund. >> thank you. thank you very much. >> please identify yourselves, each, and make sure you faced the camera. >> my name is charles cooper. i represent the parties -- the parties and their lawyers have now litigated this case for almost four years. thelly, to this point, case as you have seen was presented to the court. penetrating measured questions on both sides and now it is in the hands of the court. we are looking forward to hopefully a prompt response. difficult,this is a controversial issue. >> thank you. -- [indiscernible]

we believe that proposition 8 is constitutional. we believe the decision is with the people, not with the courts. wax thank you very much. thank you. good afternoon. andrew. i am the general counsel for the protect marriage coalition. today, we feel that we clearly presented the winning case for marriage. we think that our lead counsel did an outstanding job delivering the arguments with great clarity. we think the hearing went very well. we would like to thank all of our supporters and the people who helped pass proposition eight and have stuck with us through this long, lengthy, legal battle of nearly four years.

we look forward to a positive decision from the court that will uphold the will of the people. >> can you address some of the early questions? [inaudible] on allre going to stand of the arguments we made in court today. we are not going to re-argued the out here on the sidewalk. we think we said everything we wanted to stay in this hearing. without the questions from the court were very probing, but very good questions. very thoughtful questions for both sides. i think we will see a very reasonable decision out of this court. to thereaction questions inside there whether the court seems to be reluctant to issue a very sweeping kind of

role. what does that tell you in terms of how this will play out? what do you think when they come out of there? ,> without predicting a result i think there are multiple options that the court is exploring. see whichwill have to direction the court goes. i think different views of this case are presented both by the proponents of proposition 8, the challenges of opposition 8, and the solicitor general's office. they will have to choose between those visions of the outcome of this case. >> [inaudible] that is not an issue in this case. the california supreme court has already said that the marriages created for the brief time it was was legal in california remain recognized. >> this whole battle starts all over again, doesn't it? >> our position all along has

been that the political process, that means a state-by-state, state and deciding for themselves, that is before him were this debate belongs. this is not something that should be imposed by the judiciary, by the courts. a victory here for us means that this issue returns to the people in their legislatures and the elected officials where the debate belongs. thank you. >> [inaudible] >> one of the big issues in this case is the integrity, not only of states rights, but in california particularly, the integrity of the initiative trusses. if it is determined that the initiatives passed by voters can be vetoed by the government officials, then that would be perhaps a fatal blow to the initiative process. it >> thank you. >> i think we are done.

>> [inaudible] the that still leaves open idea that this is a state issue again will be referendum in california? >> i will not be able to make a prediction on that. thank you for your question. hello, nice to see you. >> can you talk about -- [inaudible] ,- the harm that would be done or did not seem to be -- what is your answer to that? >> i would make a small exception talking about the merits. i think both sides have agreed in this case that it is impossible to know with any willinty the changes that be worked on society by redefining a fundamental institution like marriage. that is something that both sides agree on. thank you very much for your question.

>> back to a live look at the supreme court as people lined up for tomorrow's case. the associated press writes about today's oral arguments. the supreme court could end up avoiding a major national ruling on whether america's days have a right to marry. during arguments today on california's van of same-sex marriage, several justices raised doubts that the case should be before them. we can see the entire case tonight beginning at 8:00 eastern on c-span. tonight, there will your the oral arguments on the federal defense of marriage act called doma. it was signed into law by president clinton. the second-ranking democrat

raised a statement saying, i was proud to join with 212 other house and senate democrats in filing an amicus brief asking the supreme court to uphold the second circuit's ruling in u.s. versus user shine windsor. he goes on to say that the legal advisory group, which is defending the discriminatory doma, it does not speak for congress as a whole. that is from steny hoyer. .e will hear arguments tomorrow c-span tv and radio coverage begins in the afternoon at 2:00 eastern. the arguments will be online as soon as the audio is released from the court. like today, you can hear it again at 8:00 p.m. eastern with an opportunity to call in with your opinion as well. rallies were held outside of the supreme court today by those on both sides of the issue. we will show you portions of both beginning with supporters.

pairings were among the speakers. as was a former speechwriter to president george w. bush. >> thank you. my beautiful wife danielle is here in the front row and my son, nathaniel, and my daughter , bee. for us, i think danielle deserves a special recognition because she is such an important part of my journey on this issue. she gave an extremely moving ceremony for my oldest friend when he married his partner two summers ago. danielle made that's beautiful of and for 100 people. i am delighted to be here with my friend margaret hoover. -- if you had been so- could have made up

this list of speakers of hoover's, eisenhower's, bushes, and cheney's. it would not be quite get republican convention, but pretty close. in fact, i speaker today as more 30n one of the 100 republicans and conservatives who signed the brief in favor of equal marriage rights. i think if he had another week, there would've been twice as many. you know, republicans and democrats in this country have enough to disagree about. no shortage. and yet there are many issues that are the property of no one party. freedom of every american to pursue happiness as that american sees it under the law, that promise signed into the declaration of independence so many years ago is the promise that is coming true in our times.

[applause] for a conservative, the remarkable thing about the movement for same sex marriage is that it is a civil rights movement that is less about claiming rights than it is about accepting responsibility. of greatis a source joy. but, as i speak here as someone who has been married for 25 years, we are celebrating our anniversary this summer, marriage is also the most solemn of human undertakings. it is an undertaking to care for another person. two nurse that person when ill. to sustain her or him in times of struggle. to raise children together. to provide for those children. to mourn when it becomes time to mourn. no agency of government can ever begin to do for anyone what loving spouses do for each other. [applause]

the stronger our families are, every kind of family, the less government we will need. families gather before this house of law to claim the right to live as others to without shame and without fear. of a nation is changing. it is an awesome thing to see. it is a loud thing to hear. it is an awesome thing to be a part of. , andwords, your actions your example has power. it will overcome. thank you. [applause] >> thank you so much. this is quite a moment. david, you remind us with your words something that we know here in washington. we need bipartisanship to carry

our movement through. we thank you for all that you do toward that and. david, thank you so much. our next speaker, many of you ,ave seen on tv, cnn, and espn commentator, no stranger to our movement, mr. ld granderson. let's give it up. [applause] hey, there, ms. margaret. what is up d.c.? what a beautiful day this is. this is awesome. this is absolutely amazing. i am so stoked to be here. my son would be here, but i made his butt go to school. i still believe in education first. i pour my heart and soul out in all that i do. one thing i have not shared with many of you is a couple of years ago i said i was going to die.

i was hanging out with a friend of mine and suddenly without warning, my chest started to hurt. the room started to spin. sweat.renched in a cold i was having a hard time staying conscious. my friend called 911. and the paramedics came, they were afraid i was having a heart attack. that is when an erratic ekg warning, they thought i was having a heart attack. they called for surgery right away. as the gas was beginning to take affect and my eyelids got heavy, i remember looking up to god and i had one prayer. please, take care of my family. and when i opened my eyes, there they were. my son, isaiah, my partner, steve, huddled up, cramps, a sleep on the tiny furniture in my hospital room. i am grateful that i did not die that night. i am even more grateful for the

two people who make my life work -- worth living every single day. that is my family. [applause] askd not come here to anybody permission to love. i did not come here to seek approval. am not here looking for special rights. the here because 14 times supreme court has described marriage as a fundamental right and gay and lesbian couples deserve our fundamental rights. [applause] because we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men and women are created equal. that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights and those rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. , and the pursuit

of happiness. i am blessed to be born in this great country. i am blessed to be able to have my health care be behind me. i am blessed to have fought and love with someone who has proven to me time and time again that he is committed to me in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, until death do us part. [applause] he is my world. i am his. and our son is ours. same-sex couples are not here asking for a seat at the table because we have always been here. we are not here at the steps of to bake.ourt i am here as a proud, black gay man from the east side of detroit. i am here to remind everyone

that my family, like everyone else's, demand our full, fundamental rights. thank you. [applause] >> thank you so much. it they do so much. -- thank u so much. our next speaker, i am proud to bring another person representing one of our incredible families. -- certain that national guard. she is here today from the great state of massachusetts. [applause] >> my name is casey mclachlan. i come to you today as a

military wife. major in shannon is a the massachusetts national guard. , shetly after 9/11 deployed and has served his country for nearly 15 years. even though don't ask don't tell has been repealed, we are still not equal. i am now a stay at home mom raising our two-year-old twins. this would not be unusual if we were straight. many couples operate on one income and have a family plan for health insurance. but despite being legally married in the state of massachusetts, i am excluded from the family healthcare plan. in fact, despite being a mother, i am technically a legal stranger to my spouse because

of the so-called defense of marriage act. like any other soldier, if she is called to a war zone, she has to go. often without little notice. ,ike any other military family the kids and i get left to manage without her. soldier,ke any other shannon does not get the comfort of knowing that if something happens to her, we will be taken care of. that's the benefits that she has earned for nearly 15 years in service to this country would go to her family. weike any other soldier, would not get to go overseas with her because we are .neligible for base housing and unlike any other military wife, i could not even bring the kids to their medical and dental appointments without her because as a legal stranger, i cannot get on the bank.

do we seriously live in a country in which shannon is putting her life on the line every day, get is not afforded the peace of mind to know that her family will be taken care of? tell any other soldier that when they go into harms way that their family will be left to fend for themselves, and see how they react. it would never be tolerated. so why is it ok for gay soldiers who have the same families and make the same sacrifices? [applause] doma we are separate, forced into two tears in recognition of support. hands of the military art tied by the federal government and it is now in the hands of the supreme court. youow these justices and

know these justices will do the right thing because they have done it before. it was this court that desegregated public schools. [applause] that struckcourt down laws prohibiting interracial marriages. [applause] in the twoe be true cases before the court right now. we are equal. [applause] my marriage is equal to any other marriage. [applause] my children's happiness and their future are as precious to me as any other mother's. [applause] , ii lost my spouse in combat would suffer as painfully as any other military wife would suffer. [applause] .ecause, because we are equal [applause]

collects -- >> wow. let's take a moment to thank the families. we are equal. our families are equal. our families are equal. our families are equal. our families are equal. all right. thank you, thank you. it brings me great pleasure to bring up gets another family. thomas and her family from marriage equality usa, the board members in new york thank you. >> can you hear me? cathy marino thomas. i am the co-board president of -- my family and i worked on the issue of marriage equality for 16 years. i am a proud american. i am a proud lesbian activist woman.

but most importantly, i am the proud wife of sheila marino thomas. , there, sheila and i are the proud parents of jackie. the three of us are a family. 's parents, it is important to us to stand here today and teach our daughter that our country believes in freedom and fairness for all families. that's our family father -- that our founding fathers made room for us. there are privileges that we want the right to share as a family. that when one of us dies, the other does not lose anything so that a family can live with dignity and love and even acceptance. , our family marry would be protected under the law in a way that it would not be without that right. sheila and i have been together for 18 years. [applause] 1995 without legal

support and we have created a life. we ask our government to help us protect that right. jackie is now 13 years old. we raise our daughter like any other family, going to school recitals, dance performances, doing homework. we are saving for her college education. more than anything, sheila and i want to be able to offer our daughter the life that all parents dream of. a life full of achievement and respect. however, when we suffer the unfair treatment of equity under the law, we cannot do that for her. currently, we pay tax on medical insurance. it is considered income for us, but not by couples who have full marriage equality. under the current law, our state is taxed as if we are giving a gift to a friend when in fact we work together to gain everything we have. our family exists and needs the rights and benefits that civil marriage provides. without these rights, my wife would have to pay inheritance

tax on the life we built together should she outlive me. we would not be eligible to receive social security benefits when one of us passes away. we would cut the amount of monthly income in half. you know and i know that the bills do not get cut in half. this would come at a time in life when we should feel secure and proud of a life lived. the love is already there. ,he commitment, as well already there. what is required is marriage equality. [applause] andmargin between justice injustice is growing. -- it is narrowing, sorry. journalist winning said it best when he said democracy not the law of the majority. it is the protection of the minority. we stand here today with our doctor, in front of the supreme court of the united states in light of history in the making. we believe in the principles of

our founding fathers. we believe in a nation whose fundamental concepts are liberty and justice under the law. thank you so much. >> thank you. what a beautiful family. thank you so much. thank you so much. it gives me great pleasure now to bring up a true friend of our movement as we all are. ishaq and his daughter, the first openly gay -- bishop and his doctor, the first openly gay the shop. hop.he first openly gay bis >> good morning. join me in being -- and not being distracted by all of that noise. our focus is right there today. i am here as an out gay man.

as a proud gay dad and a bishop of the episcopal church. am here because what happens in the supreme court in these next two days matter to me, to you, and to all of our families. or too long we have let the religious right hold the bible hostage. you know, the bible they used as a weapon against us but which actually proclaims god's love for all of god's children. [applause] for too long the religious right has acted as if a family values was its own possession. but i am here with my doctor today to say that our families value love and commitment, too. we deserve the support that marriage equality will bring. thoughtful, progressive religious people of all faiths have come to understand that the synagogues, mosques, and to the church have gotten it wrong us

and our relationships and that now our families deserve equal protection under the law. our families have changed this debate and changed people's hearts. president obama mama when standing up for marriage equality, said that one of the things that help changed his mind was his own two doctors talking about their classmates who have two moms or two dads. no big deal, right? except that it is a huge deal. the right to marry the one we love matters more than those nine justices would ever understand. and keep ourstrong eye on the prize. we can persevere in this struggle no matter what the supreme court decides in a couple of months because we know how this is going to and, don't ,e -- how this is going to andy don't we? it'll and with our full

acceptance and inclusion into the life and citizenship of this nation. ,nd even the conservatives those out there making all that noise, even they know it. and all were arguing about now is timing. but time, time is important because we still have lgbt kids hanging themselves and jumping off of bridges. tell your friendstonight, telld families where you were today, and why. if you have a partner, snuggle especially close tonight. them youve kids, tell were here for them today. get up tomorrow thankful for the opportunity to have been of part of history. takes andng it wherever it may lead. god bless you all.

and now one of the great honors of my life, to present to you my daughter. >> i am very proud daughter of two gay dads. i represent the 6 million children that have lgbt parents. the amazing declaration of love for his bombs in the court in iowa, we are the cochairs of the outspoken generation program which gives a voice to us kids and an opportunity to share our stories. how we love our gay parents and we want to tell the world. it is time for their relationships to be recognized

and for families to receive equal rights that we so deserved. being raised with a strong family values and ethics, ready to be active participants. as we share stories of those on the fence, we can see the love in the living rooms and encouragement around the kitchen table as we are changing hearts and minds. i don't need validation for my family. i know we are a strong and stable family unit. what we need is for the federal government to recognize the relationship and alive that we the built together deserves same rights and protections everyone else has. marriage strength and all families, there is no question about it.

we have this opportunity to make this country a better place to those that want to commit their life to a loved one, gay or straight. i will keep telling anyone who will listen, i love my dad and i love our family. our family deserves the same respect and support that all families count on every day. [applause] >> how are we doing out here? have some much gratitude for the tremendous live and work of bishop robinson. his daughter is quite beautiful. you know what is beautiful

about this couple? they have been together for 55 years and they are from phoenix arizona. >> i want to thank the united for marriage coalition for inviting us to speak today. and committedng .elationship that we met when we were in college when i was 18. we have the right to love but not of a legal marriage.

we took care of them in their elderly years and we take daughters to the movies. we play with our path and we laugh and cry together. just because we are to women, our life is not recognized. i was awarded custody when she was 4. we are a loving family and we all believe that we deserve the same rights as any other citizen in this country. our daughter should have that same stability in their lives. and they provide fairness for gays and other couples.

they deserve to live their lives in a legal and committed relationship with the person that they love and the protection of their families. we ought to have the same opportunity and privileges that other married couples have. ago, they both declared their support for marriage and quality. voters say the freedom to marry the person you love is a constitutional right that is given to all americans. marriagen is ready for equality, and so are we. likely said in church this morning, let this be the moment now. let history began.

-- begin. >> i'm karen's partner. i want to thank the united for marriage coalition for giving us this opportunity to speak at this rally. it is an honor to be here with all of you. we have been in a loving and committed relationship for 55 years. like our song states, we do have a right to love. no one should tell us who we cannot love, especially the legal rights. ourelieve it is constitutional right to marry the person we loved because that right has been denied to us. america was founded on the principle of freedom and treating everyone equal under the law.

in this country, freedom needs to mean freedom for everyone, including gay and lesbian family members, co-workers, or neighbors. marriage between two loving individuals create and protect families. we have two girls that we have raised. i have no legal rights to the girls. if karen were to pass away, they would be taken away from me. i have helped to raise these girls for 17 years and it would be unfair for them to be taken away from what they know as their home. our side. not on the current defense of marriage act denies same-sex couples 1138 federal rights and benefits. for example, if i should pass away before karen, she will

have to pay an inheritance tax on my assets and investments. we are unable to leave our money to the partners without an inheritance tax. if one of buses in the hospital, we should have the right to visitation. able to make decisions for the one who is ill. i know karen better than anyone else. if there was an end of life decision, i know what decision she would want me to make. supreme courtthe justices to put the lot on our side. all we are asking is to be provided the constitutional right to equal protection under the law. thank you again for giving us

the privilege of being here with all of you today. this is our moment in history. >> wow. touching stories and what an incredible day. an incredibleer, person for what he is doing for our movement. and pretty incredible on the football field as well. it's an honor and pleasure to give you baltimore ravens [applause]-- >> thank you.

first and foremost, i am not here as a baltimore ravens. i am here as a patriot, a patriot for the constitution of the united states. and being that i am in baltimore, i have to show you my maryland pride. scotus takeshe been done inat's d.c. and maryland. hold on. let me put my socks down. you were going to leave me here with my pants up? come on.

my phone just turned off, i have to go ad lib on you guys. all right, let's do this. this is a fight we have seen before. how is this any different? '70s, inild of the some states in the '60s, i would not be here. i am a testament to progress and things are changing. love is always going to win the game. the ravens and winning a super bowl was a very special and monument this occasion for me. it was a dream come true and there is a secret as to why we won that football game. everyone here in the lgbt

community, you know what that secret is. nflnt to make sure no other teams are listening. aery day, i go to lunch with guy that lines up next to me and i love that player like he is a family member. we talk about families, we talk about issues. i'm going to do everything i can to not let that man down because i love that man next to me. i talked to that man about my wife and kids and one day he will talk to me about his husband and his kids. [applause] the football game because of love. that we love our teammates, more than the opposition and all the people that are against us. like i said, love is always going to win the game.

i have to give credit to bipartisanism, a lot of people jumping on board for marriage and quality. we know it is not the popular thing to do, but it is the right thing to do. we won't stop until everyone ands marriage equality protections are received by all couples in the united states. we are not only strengthening the family unit and the communities. we are strengthening schools. we are allowing kids to stand up color. we are strengthening america. lockerare strengthening

rooms all across the country. you can play. i forgot the rest of what i was going to say. phonon, could turn my but i can't. i think i will have to wrap it up. i am one of the most unlikely candidates, and i could not be more proud of the community for you guys are and believing in yourself. on the right side of history. your allies, we will continue to fight with you. love is always going to win the game. >> i love that message.

at the end of the day, love will win the game. i love that. pleasure to introduce the national .athedral, the rev. >> we are gathered this morning for a multitude of identities. gay, straight, bisexual, trans gender, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters. we come from a variety of faith communities. people that consider themselves spiritual but not religious. traditions,hose people who have suffered persecution by those claiming to speak for god. we are gathered here this

morning to say in spite of that message, it is time for marriage in quality. i am here as a straight episcopal priest. i believe in god's blessings for all faithful, committed, long- term relationships. i am also here as the leader of the washington national cathedral, a church that strives to be a spiritual home for the nation. in january, i announced that our national cathedral will begin performing same-sex marriages. it is right, and it is time to do that. as one of the nation's most

iconic faith communities, the national cathedral strives to be a house of prayer for all people, a place where all are welcome. be as clear as we can that all means all. every person is loved by god. can preach that from the pope that until we are blue in the face. the most emphatic way to say it is to unite it by uniting the same-sex couples that come before our altered. unwelcomeu have felt and on love, or ostracized by your faith community. you know all too well how he teaching and religion have been used to bolster the other side in this fight. there are many that say any

orientation but strait is a sen. they pick and choose various verses to support their claims. that thereo tell you are communities of faith, including your nation's cathedral where we do not believe that to be true. read our bibles, too. find a different story there than the ones our adversaries discovered. we see got a making and blessing people in god's own image. we see jesus eating and walking with people from every walk of human life. the faith leaders that stand with you today say that time for marriage equality in this country has come. hasso believe that god given each of us the gift of our

sexual orientation. i believe that god has given us the gift of marriage as the best way for faithful people to live out that sexuality. man, my church and my government have long given me the right to live with those gifts. those of us from churches and synagogues that are gathered today are saying that our communities are ready to extend those rights to everyone. it is time that the government do the same. the freedom to marry the person you love is not only a constitutional right, it is a moral right. it is time for marriage in quality, thank you. >> thank you so much to the rev.

and all of your leadership with the national cathedral. we are so proud, thank you so much. am here to introduce no stranger to my organization, the leadership conference. the national african american -- the national american citizens league came to us in our civil rights coalition and it gives me great pride to bring out priscilla representing the japanese american citizens league. >> i am priscilla, i am the 10,000 plus members of the japanese american citizens league. we are proud to be here to .elebrate the right to love

japanese americans know what it is like to be treated differently. 120,000 men, women, and children were imprisoned during world war two. there was a time when this of an out lot of the right japanese immigrant to marry an american. that law was wrong. when people ofe different races could not marry. that law was wrong. today, many states prohibit same-sex couples from marrying. that is wrong, too.

we believe in a great america, a country where every person has the same rights, no matter the color of your skin, no matter of your gender, no matter your sexual orientation. in 1994, a japanese american citizens league was one of the first organizations to support the right of every person to marry the one that they loved. every person. we can be a greater america when there are no barriers to the right to love. for a greater america.

>> what an incredible history lesson. reminding us that we have come so far and we have a little bit further to go. though we are ready. the assistant to president george w. bush, 2005-2007. >> is good to see so many familiar faces in the crowd. i come today and speak to you as a conservative, someone who signed the amicus brief. knows mend anyone that understands the most important things in my life are my family and my faith. i believe that marriage is a conservative principle and is a

human right that should be given to everyone that in america. washington d.c. in the spring of 1999. and i have the hopes of making the world a better place. i immediately got the political bug and navigated my way through many circles. the state department, working in three presidential campaigns, and eventually the senior aide in the bush white house. coming out in my mid-20s, working inside the bush white house would seem daunting to most people. to me, it gave me the greatest hope for our country. because of the positive response i knew in my heart that someday we would all be standing here together, united

for this cause. what may be deeply personal process easier was someone could listen when i needed them the most. we talk about policies but there are thousands of young men and women struggling with the same vein. all they need is someone to listen to their journey and not pass judgment. we are here to listen to your story. we are here because real change occurs in the courts. we people like you and me, stand together on an issue that unites 80% of americans.

it unites across party lines in such high numbers. every single person that signed the amicus brief is aware of the change that is sweeping across the nation. as a republican, i am proud to be on the right side of history. wave of be part of this new americans that will never be divided on this issue again. >> thank you for this grant showing of bipartisanship. and just a quick announcement, given up for yourselves. you for your incredible

respect for those folks walking down the street. we also want to keep showing the appreciation for the capitol police at the supreme court police. i just wanted to the knowledge that and say thank you. >> these are people that love end respect so deeply. if you have not had the opportunity to meet the ship, this is a treat that you're going to have today. bishop, the presiding the fellowship of affirming ministries, he is a fantastic speaker and a wonderful mentor. they have been working

tirelessly for our right, so help me welcome the bishop. >> good morning, brothers and sisters. that's all right, let me claim that out. pastor of the city of refuge in san francisco, california. many times in the history of our country, the question of my new rights.s -- as a woman, african american, and a same-gender loving woman. i have been in a loving relationship with my partner

shirley for 29 years. we were legally married during the window of opportunity in california i stand on behalf of all couples, our families, friends, and religious communities to thank our supporters for the overwhelming support for our right to marry. to encourage the court to follow the art of justice. as you have in the past. and we can put this issue to rest. can we say, put this issue to rest? put this issue to rest. already wonder why this is still an issue. outcome, we will not surrender our right to marry.

we will come back again and again and again. until we prevail. providence has determined that the time has come for all couples and families to enjoy the same rights and privileges in this country. remember our faces. this is surely. -- shirley. i'm yvette. we are women. we are black. we are mothers. we are grandmothers. we are faced leaders. we are just as warriors, and we have loved each other for 30 years. my ancestors stood in this same spot between that building and that building.

i can hear their voices and i can feel their blood from the ground. .hey sang a song ♪ ain't gonna let nobody turn me around turn me around ain't gonna let nobody turn me around g, walking upkin freedom's way. ♪ sing it with me! nobody gonna let turn me around turn me around ain't gonna let nobody keep on walking keep on talking ♪lking up freedom's way

[applause] >> what a treat. darlene was right. bring upme pleasure to our next speaker is. -- speakers. a republican with a gay family member. they come all the way from new hampshire to be with us today. >> what a wonderful and momentous day. thank you so much, everyone.

>> will always figured that my brother was gay, but it wasn't until thanksgiving 2007 when he came out. i mentioned a friend had told me his relationships that this had changed on f-- status had changed on facebook. mom almost appeared with a barrage of questions about who the mysterious person could be. you could see the fear building in his eyes and i knew i had probably gotten him into something he wasn't ready for that day. but my mom knows her kids and she knows the right things to say. she looked at him and said, is it a boy? if it's a boy, it's ok. you could see the wall that he had built the starting to

crumble. and use all the wall crash down. he turned to calvin and he said, nothing has changed between us. we love you the same, no matter what. you are our son. when i look at my brother, i can't help but want him to have the same rights i had. but that courage is stripped away so many of the freedoms that we take for granted. the idea that same-sex couples should not be allowed to marry is flat out wrong and not american.

as a marine, i don't take freedom lightly. i really do believe in limited government. i can't even imagine what it must be like to have someone say you can't get married. i looked at my wife and i think itk to roe v. wade and kills me to think that people had to go through that. it needs to end. calvin was married, standing there right next to me as my best man. and let me tell you something. when he is ready to get married, i will be standing right next to him. tell them, i want you to know that we love you so much. we could not be more proud of

the man you have become. and no one has the right to take away your freedom. >> thank you so much for those moving words. our next speakers are going to be joining us together, and these are no strangers to me personally. janet, the president and ceo of the national council of the civilst grass-roots latino rights organization. and my boss and a good friend, wade henderson, president of the leadership council on civil and human rights.

>> good morning, brothers and sisters. make some noise if you want equal rights for all. i am president and ceo of the leadership conference on civil and human rights. i am proud to stand here with my friend, president of the national council . i'm especially proud to stand here in solidarity with our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters representing the broad civil and human rights community supreme court that civil rights must be measured by a single yardstick. marriage equality is not only a matter of civil rights. it is a human rights and basic dignity as well. to millions ofs

gay and lesbian americans is to undermine the principle of equal protection under the law and the family and that that many straight americans take for granted. as americans, we know that love knows no color. it knows no religion. knows nohat love gender. ago, the rev.s dr. martin luther king jr. stood not too far from here on the steps of the lincoln memorial. was our dream. those of us that grew up in segregation, we know that dreams do come true. nation,d that a great the world winds will continue to

shake the foundations until the bright day of justice emerges. he spoke a righteous truth to power, saying it would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. of marriage act is unconstitutional. proposition 8 is unconstitutional. which end of the court knows it. i stand with you today to say that it would be fatal for a strides andmade civil-rights for african- americans, latinos, asian- americans, women, people with disabilities, and so many others to take a wrong step now. the time for marriage equality is now and we will not accept

anything less. privilege ofe the introducing janet. >> a privilege and honor to be here today. be hereprivilege to with such an amazing group of civil-rights leaders in support of our brothers and sisters in the community. and particularly the thousands of couples that live in our great nation. we are here because, more than half of latinos are in favor of marriage equality. last year, because the national council of became one of the first hispanic organizations to endorse marriage equality which our

board unanimously approves. because when some of us are denied a fundamental right, it diminishes all of us. and we are here because of something dr. martin luther king jr. wrote. in the middle of mistreated migrant workers, dr. king wrote, our separate struggles are really want. a struggle for freedom, dignity, and humanity. that is no more true today than ever before. that is why we are here. much more recently, the dream back activists and pulitzer prize-winning journalist put it this way. my quality is tied to your equality. we are here because we do not believe our policies should be in the business of separating

families in any respect due to their immigration status, sexual orientation, or anything else for that matter. that important to know half of the same-sex couples is hispanic. they have faced being separated from their parents. we are here because there is no community that values family more than the latino community. for us, family is family. familyhere in support of and of the of the bt -- lgbt families in our community. do what is inscribed on those very walls of their, provide equal justice under the law.

supportrt families, we your families. noise if you love justice. make some noise. >> give it up for two of the amazing civil-rights leaders of our time. working in the trenches. it gives me great pleasure to introduce another person that worked tirelessly for our community. the advocate that contributed to the marriage of quality victory in the great state of maryland. please help me welcome alex. >> i brought a prop.

this is a five my mom made for my wedding. you see, growing up as a gay kid in a small, southern mountain town, i never thought i would be able to get married. i never pictured myself walking down the aisle surrounded by loving friends and family. i did not even consider there were legal barriers forbiddingly from marrying my future beloved. two years ago, i was putting the final touches on my perfectly planned marriage proposal. i never thought that my new state of maryland would accept our love as legal. partnerf last year, my and i walked out a makeshift boardwalk at the beach, packed full of friends and

family. in august, i got a call from a friend asking me about my newly won marriage rights. thoseto find housing for trying to help us win the ballot initiatives. i knew that i had to say yes. i accepted the position not just because my marriage would be legal, i said yes for all of those folks like myself that never thought that this day would come. these days are here and we are here together. -- onlyever go for work go forward, never go back. [applause]

>> thank you so much. it gives me great pleasure to bring out by next speaker. a member of the republican representation here today. and he is on the board of directors of the log cabin republicans. >> what a great day is. i am delighted to be here as an open and a gay man. i used to be chairman of the republican party. it now endorses marriage equality. platformrom a 2000 a

of supporting states' rights for marriage to a 2012 endorsing marriage equality. and we're proud that d.c. is one of those jurisdictions. followinghted to be republican speakers, one of whom worked with george bush. gay in the early '80s, and president reagan was proud to do that for several years. as anelected chairman openly gay man. support marriage equality because it is the right thing to do. each of these couples recognizes the responsibility to come along

with marriage. it is time for them to receive forright to get married everybody else. a longtime friend of mine, i want to thank him for his gayage and the supporting marriage. it won't be the last. i grew up in ohio, as i said. when i was growing up, they respected people, and everyone respected their private lives. we're going to change it back. todayonored to be here and i appreciate all of you being here as well.

>> this has been an incredible morning. [applause] it is now my pleasure to -- the first you same sex couple to marry in the cadet chapel at westpoint. welcome,ve them a warm ok? >> my name is patty mason. jews sons were russian that came to this country seeking freedom and fair treatment under the law.

what i want is no more and no less than what my parents had. the freedom and the right to marry the what i love. thank you. fundamental, basic rights. the same one our parents had. thank you, penny. she is dealing with ms, standing isn't easy. >> i am lucky that she stands with me. part of thelton, first west point class to include women. raised my right hand and less for a solemn of to support and defend the constitution of the united states. that did not know if constitution would protect me.

december, like thousands of for me, i stood in the chapel and made my commitment to the woman i love. in the eyes of the law, we are strangers. in may, he is going to marry the love of his life, ben shocke. the marine corps is sending matthew to japan. the other officers will be accompanied by their husbands and their wives. but not matthew. in the eyes of the law, that does not count. friendnth, we buried my charlie morgan of the new hampshire national guard.

the honor guard carefully folded the american flag that covered her coffin. there is a moment where the to thet touches the flag coffin. before he hands it to the general who then handed it to charlie's wife, karen. her wife. the new hampshire national guard knows what marriages. -- marriage is. they know marriage when they see it. the military is prohibited from treating karen as charlie's wife. we are better than this. as americans, we know in our

bones what freedom and equality are. what they really mean. that is why the majority of americans, including my aging parents and pretty much everyone who has ever had a conversation with my mother stands with us. we stand here today as defenders of the constitution. we stand here today as patriots. we say now is the time, we will not let another chief charlie sgt donna orff andrew wilbert die without knowing that his husband or wife will be accorded the full measure of our respect. now is the time.

[applause] >> now is the time. it now is the time. [chanting] that you so much for personal story. at work that wonderful? they were incredible. young now bring out a person in the incredible movement. we are young at heart. he this young man is here today as a sophomore at the george washington university. he is in the house as a representative of allied and pride. he is here with us to carry a torch for marriage in quality.

>> i stand here today as a proud gay man, part of a generation that overwhelmingly understands that same-sex marriage is a human right, not a special right. we understand a merger quality is about fairness, love, commitment. we believe the government should allow any one of customary the individuals that we love. support is at an all-time high. i am excited to see everyone embracing my generation's view of this most basic human right. our nation is not only ready, it demands it. thank you. move toe now going to another family. married in same-sex parents from new york, and they are joined by

their daughter. >> we are honored to be here today. this is my wife. we have been in a committed and a loving relationship for 31 years. 24, 2011, we finally made it legal along with hundreds of other half the couples on the first day that marriage equality became a reality in new york state. our journey toward marriage activism started nine years ago, around the time when a renegade mayor is began to conduct marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples. when massachusetts became the

first state to legalize gay marriage, we were inspired by the images of these happy couples. we never thought that getting married would be an option for us. we lived as if we were married for over two decades, sharing our lives in raising a daughter together. thats our daughter inspired us to consider fighting for marriage rights. she framed marriage as a civil right, and urged us to get involved in the growing marriages quality movement in new york. she said, this is your chance to be part of history. 2004, we werel of proud to sign on as one of five couples at the ground-breaking marriage equality lawsuit in new york.

the lawsuit have the victories, defeats, and lost in the highest court. that helped lay the groundwork for the sweet legislative victory that we all enjoyed almost two years ago in new york. although we are thrilled to be legally married in new york state, federal laws prevent our marriage same-sex couples from realizing full equality as an unfairly denied federal protection to same-sex couples legally married in their own state. that, i would not be entitled to social security benefits. if mary should become seriously ill, we have been together for 31 years and i would not be able to take time off to care for her and know that my job would be

mating -- waiting for me. crucial benefits of marriage is a protection that all same-sex -- it is unfair. it is discriminatory. it is on american. >> in mary joe kennedy. i would like to close with a couple of words about how we got to this watershed moment. momentsy way share are in our lives. whenever we come out and speak hearts and minds. there is no group that has been more outspoken on this issue than young people. their voices have been strong and inspiring. i am extremely proud to

introduce my daughter and her inspiration. beis such an honor to speaking here today on this historic occasion on behalf of my wonderful parents. as a child of two women i held a personal stake in a very real understanding of the implication of the ruling in favor of equality. part of the reason i'm so honored to speak today is because but the guy on up pricking and i think of amazement and gratitude. my parents are dedicated to our family and ensure that i would have a normal child said. their relationship is one that i hope to model for my own children someday. it is not come easy. as a kid, i remember being confused and shocked that my mom --ried a woman who did not

despite the financial hurdles, my parents offered and nurturing environment. this was because of my happy child said that i feel sad and anger on behalf of my parents when i hear arguments that gay parenting is harmful to children. parentingthe quality of that the sexual orientation that is the most important factor in a child's ability to thrive. it is the denial of equal marriage rights that has harm to me. to meet the most important aspect is the message it will send to the millions american children's being raised in lgbt families. it shows that our families are valued and equal. a decision against the quality sends a message that our families are not worthy of equal respect and protection despite

our unwavering bonds of love. i hope they are aware of the real impact this will have on their families. our families may look different but we share the same love. thank you. >> were going back live outside the u.s. supreme court. you can see today's oral arguments in the supreme court case tonight at 8:00 eastern. this is the first major examination of the right in 10 years. courtssue before the was as the constitution require that people be allowed to marry whom they choose despite the genders. it is a rather new issue. no state recognized same-sex issues until 2003. oral arguments will continue tomorrow when they will consider the federal law that prevents

legally marry gay couples from receiving a range of benefits of st. mary people. at have coverage beginning 2:00 p.m. eastern. the arguments will be on-line at c-span.org. today you can hear them again tomorrow night at 8:00 p.m. eastern. the court heard oral arguments in the proposition 8 case today nearby on the national mall. opponents gathered to show their support for marriage between a man and a woman. the rally was organized by the national organization for marriage and other pro-family organizations. >> hello? welcome back, everyone.

first i want to say you did an amazing job. thank you so much. think our message was heard. what do you think? before we get started with the speakers we have a great program. i first want to thank the many people who made this possible. there were a number of buses that were paid for to come to this event from all over. first bank be a foundation that made a generous grant to allow all those buses to come. as you can see from the banner,

many other groups came by to support this event. a fewing to mention groups that donated money also to allow us to do this. the manhattan declaration, family research council, heritage foundation, and john paul the great high school, and the culture of life and the catholic diocese of arlington. the catholic diocese of providence. human lifenion, the institute for religion and democracy.

i want to remind everyone that if you take pictures of what happened as we marched by the supreme court, anyone you saw at the beginning of the march there was an intent to try to block us and we were able to keep going, we kneel down and we prayed, thank you for that. if you have pictures of that please e-mail them to mm@nation formarriage.org. people walking around that have petitions that will go to the supreme court. sign the petition. this is not an end. this is a beginning. it is my honor to introduce our

first speaker. you have heard a brief prayer from him before. he is someone that stood up during proposition 8, that helped raise the money and get people together to get proposition 8 on the ballot. is the head of the said committee on marriage. and the archbishop of san francisco. come on. we can do better than that. >> my brothers and sisters and friends, right now we're at the center of the country. a lot of people are watching us right now. a lot of people are watching us to disagree with us. i want to begin with words to

those who are watching you disagree with us. i want to speak on behalf of all of us. i want to say we love you. we are your neighbors. we want to be your friends. the we want you to be happy. we do notunder -- hate you. we're not motivated by bigotry. it is not our intent to offend anyone and never have i apologize. i would ask that you try to listen to is fairly and tries to understand our position as we will try to do the same for you. to all of you, my brothers and sisters gathered here, thank you for your presence here, you're courageous support in defending this defining issue of our day. up fors courage to stand the natural meaning of marriage.

wire be here? marriage matters to kids. kids deserve a mother and a father and society need an institution that connect children to their parents. what could be more beautiful are sacred than a man and a woman coming together to create? create ? marriage is the only -- marriage is the only institution that connect children to their parents and the parents to their children into one another. sometimes that is impossible. sometimes due to circumstances the ideal does not happen. those parents need our love and support. this is not about parenting skills. well ins kids can do less than ideal circumstances. it is about rebuilding the

marriage culture. rebuilding this culture begins with preserving in the law the principle that children deserve a mother and father. it means preserving the principle of that society should do everything they can to help ensure children get what they deserve a. only a man can be a father and only women can be a mother. that iit hard to believe have to stand here and say that. it is like, anyone home? children need both. no matter how happy their childhood may be to grow up without a father or mother is always a deprivation. this is not discrimination. marriage benefits everyone.

it benefits those who are not married and those who disagree with us on this issue. thelly, i want to say to nine justices on the supreme preserve the meaning and marriage in the law, meaning common to every society since the beginning of human race, for the sake of the children pictu. >> its alums like you are -- sounds like you are chanted o ut. we can do better for the archbishop. that is good. is with theaker american principles of project which stands up for court american principles as outlined in the declaration of

independence. >> hello. i am 22. and a recent graduate. i'm here to say today that the next generation is not entirely on one side of the marriage debate. [applause] behalfe to speak out on of millions again people around the country who believe that the law should define marriage as a union between one man and one woman. my generation must make a stand for this issue now. we can choose to stand and defend marriage or we can sit back and watch it handed over

to people who want to redefine its. the truth is my generation is better than any generation how a generation can be devastated by the lack of a mother or a father in the household. or by broken marriages. i know from firsthand experience that the mother and father are very important geared for a while my mother was a single mother. from that experience i know that bringale and female important balance to parenting that people long for and deserve. this does not protect the institute a marriage. many people have given up on the idea of marriage. i have not. i think about the

implications redefining irriages will have, the more believe traditional marriage will grow. i'm asking the supreme court to learn from the experience of roe versus wade. the country expected support for abortion to grow. instead the support for abortion has dwindled. i expect the same thing is going to happen was support for myditional marriage generation had a choice. we can either recognize these truth of the importance of our classic understanding or we can deny it. we can either protect marriage and by ford or we can hand it away to people who want to redefine its common to separate it from its roots.

it is ok to be counter cultural to represent a few that may not be popular at the moment. thank you. >> now have one of our close friends help bring some buses from the country. aloysius with them in tennessee. supportingat event families.

thank you. every morning i wake up and i look in the mirror. i see a black man. nothing ibsolutely can do to change the color of my skin. i marched in many other thousands of people marched in the same location years ago on the claims we're being discriminated against. today the other community is trying to say that they are suffering the same thing that we are suffering. i tell you they are not. they are not suffering what we suffered. -- said the size of

people who face discrimination. every person should be treated with dignity and respect. what they're going through does not compare to what we went through. there is no comparison. the communities have been under assault about abortion, and households. education system. we cannot today that stand any more. side to try to change the definition of to alle is devastating

families. you are not old enough in the civily rights movement. >> leader of one of the most important churches. do you have any members of the church of god and christ? we love you. i had the chance to spend some time with them.

chance toers of the our standing firm. >> greetings. we are here with a unified have claim that families affirmed the foundation and perpetuation of every credible society. i too will affirm that marriage and family are chief among the means by which human society has stabilized and correlates its value is. theiage has always been union of a nail and a female. and.le and a female

is legal and should be up help. it represents the gough piece of action taken by the leaders. armies defeated? i guess i want -- army defeated? i guess i will keep rolling. true leaders want to uphold the correct decision by the court. believe that married couples have standing as a class protected by law. have an unalienable right to protect the institution and definition of marriage. we suggest the supreme court confirmed traditionally married classs as an original predicated on the undeniable

reality and indirectly affirm that doma seems to protect marriage against confusing isefinition in the book what marriage, this has been said. the proposal would harm people special future generations. walking their idea of what marriage is. it would teach them marriage is about the emotional union cohabitation with out any inherent connection with bodily union or family life. well designedeen throughout time. does been ingrained through cultural patterns. by physicalwritten and sexual attributes based upon exists.xual function that is, men and women go together.

i know that is right. we have correctly interpreted the constitutionality of traditional marriage. come on say it. ?o you hear this t the supreme court is mandated to uphold the constitution. the explicit meaning of the constitution will be given this session. there is the original character of marriage, thereby safeguarding marriage there any definition for all human history. we have defined marriage as being between one man and one woman. that is right. that is right. that is right.

one cannot the common sense aside. purposed not alter the of marriage. the we stop this action court will respect our differences. and that marriages between one man and one woman. conclusion let me say and let me tell you this, be of good cheer. the word of god says romance 8:28, we know that all things -- we know the all things are loved by god to those that are caught in his purpose. god bless america. god bless the church. god bless marriage.

alright. >> there has been a lot of talk in the media, putting forth this idea that young people have abandoned the idea that marriage is a union of a man and a woman. that is not true. the people you'll hear from that havese are folks had children speaking and 11 year-old standing up for marriage. and it's bigger focus is on the college campus. it would be difficult place to be standing up for traditional marriage. >> are we having fun ynet? me too. i'm having a blast.

thank you so much for being here. 40 years ago the supreme court issues row versus wade. this is the 40th anniversary. we are here with one simple message for the supreme court. do not read define marriage. but not due to a marriage what you did to life. we need to continue the discussion. the elite of washington, d.c. cannot be bothered to notice. if they have looked out the window, and they would have seen a half million people. they would have noticed that the average age of the marchers was about 17. am i right?

the pro-life movement is a yourtth movement? why? it is a youth movement because young people have figured out aside theion sets interests of children for the convenience of adults. eventually, young people are going to see that redefine marriage sets aside children for the convenience of adults. unhappy event that the court should read by marriage, which they hope they will not, we pray they will let us continue this nation my conversation. marriage, read define 40 years from now the young people of that generation will have one simple question for our generation. "what were you thiking?"

nking?" did you really think whenever any a mom? what were you thinking? mom, i know you money. you are nice ladies. connection that was so important to you, did you think it would never be important to me? what were you think? those of you who are here today for marriage they're not want to have to ask you that question. inse of you who are standing solidarity, let me give a shout out to san diego. i know they're having a rally in san diego. i know there's something going on in salt lake city. i know all of you are here let

friends at home that which they could of been here. we will be able to say to our children and grandchildren we were thinking of you and our peers. marche there at the very 1 for marriage. the very first marriage newman is not going anywhere. the management is here to stay. ofe to the conscience america and keep thinking of the children. the moment is here to stay. 40 years from now it will be clear to everyone that marriage was the right side of history. >> a couple of years ago the

iowa hadreme court in a chance to think about some of these same issues that are now going before the united put their own preferences and their own believed step of the clear meaning of the constitution of iowa. what they did is they forced same-sex marriage on the state of iowa. they did not care about the fact that the legislature already defined marriage as the union of a man and a woman. they did not care about the fact that people had already voted. they did what they wanted to do. they made the law as they went along and they forced same-sex marriage on ace date that did not want it -- i stated that did not wanted. but the story didn't end there. a number of leaders went --

stood up and said this cannot stand. what they did is they united together and when those judges came up for judicial retention elections in 2009, all three judges were repeated -- defeated. a leader of that fight and a leader in iowa, bob vander platts of the family leader. >> thank you. ladies and and, america needs leadership today. atte frankly, we are here this moment because too many leaders, too many moms and dads, too many teachers, too many pastors and churches, too many electedans in a -- and

officeholders backed away from the microphone when it was their turn to speak. i am happy to join with all these others to lend my voice with you for the institution of marriage. so let me begin where i will and -- end. god instituted it, nature rebuilds it, and science substantiates it. marriage is reserved for the union of one man and one woman. this must have been what was going through billy graham's mind when billy graham said, i cannot even fathom that we would be having a discussion on the definition of marriage. it is clear, one man and one woman. pope francis, the

freshly inaugurated pope, who is very clear, says that any effort toredefine it is athwart god's plan. we all know it is the norm for politicians to move from pole to pole and wave to wave and put their finger in the wind. but what we want the supreme court to do is look to our founders, look to the wisdom of billy graham, the wisdom of pope francis. definepoliticians -- to marriage once and for all as the union of a man and a woman. in iowa wentioned, saw this play out. we saw what happens when a court

usurped the obvious will of the people. what happened there is the people of iowa listened and they responded, and they responded with a historic outburst -- ouster of all the judges in the 2010 election. what continues today is that there is still credibility chasm without supreme court because they took the powers that belong to the people upon themselves. you see, iowa and americans understand. it is the congress that makes the law. it is the executive branch that executes the law. and it is only we the people who get to amend our constitution. congress makes the law, the president executes the law, and we get to amend the constitution, not the courts.

thus, i believe this court would be wise to uphold the defense of marriage act that states one man and one woman. all they have to use is their own logic as they applied to obamacare that congress passed it. i also believe they need to uphold the people's vote of the great state of california. andping the people's voice vote will send a constitutional shiver down america's freedom spine. and it will be the height of judicial overreach. all of us will know that all of our freedoms, no matter which one you hold very dear, is now up for grabs to an unelected court. jefferson warned us about this. he said, this would be an oligarchy and we must resist it at all cost. this is what our founders fled.

america is in a fragile state. i do not believe it would be wise for the court to add to our fragility by creating an unneeded constitutional crisis. process work itself out. let the people have the right to vote. let the people have the right to define this institution. and one last thing. off the we started presidential process. let me assure you that on behalf of the family leader and myself we will do everything with our network and every effort we have to make sure that we launch a candidate that establishes marriage as god instituted it, as nature revealed it, and as science validates it. one man and one woman. thank you for allowing me to be here.

>> this next speaker work for the national organization for marriage and other groups when the city council of the district of columbia decided to redefine marriage. not only that, they refused to allow a referendum. what they did was they said we are going to force gay marriage on the district of columbia but we are not going to let you vote on it. one of the key leaders in that fight and in many of the fights since then is bishop harry jackson of the leadership coalition. >> bless you. thank you. i am here to encourage you today. we are going to pray for the supreme court that the wisdom of

god be there. is famedther king jr. to of said according to amos "let justice roll down like a mighty river. oh in a moment we are going to pray together and shout out this phrase from psalm 68. we are going to shout, let god arise and his enemies be scattered. can you repeat that with me now? let god arise and his enemies be scattered. but first, let me share with you what the book of amos says. god's justice and wisdom needs to come down and rain down upon our supreme court.

they need to exercise earthly wisdom that comes from above. the blessing of the lord is upon any nation that operates in godly wisdom. god has given us the blueprint of how to have success in the earthly realm. he has given us an architectural plan of how to heal the barren places in urban america. he says that marriage between a man and a woman will heal the desert places in urban america. get those will be revitalized -- revitalized if one-man, one-woman families are the order of the day. when a man and a woman are in the house, poverty is lessened.

when a man and a woman are in the house, kids do not go to prison. when a man and a woman are in the house, there is less domestic violence. when a man and a woman are in the house, sexual abuse does not happen. when a man and a woman are in the house, there is health, there is healing, there is peace, there is joy, there is security, there is the rule and reign of god in the house. is god'sone-woman architectural plan so that the desert places of urban america will bloom and blossom like a rose. somebody give god a shout of victory in this place. so i am going to close by praying for the supreme court.

we are going to shout it three times what you said at the beginning -- let god arise and his enemies he scattered. on the count of three we are going to shout that three times and pray for the supreme court. and his enemies be scattered. let god arise and his enemies be scattered. let god arise and his enemies be scattered. at the supreme court. a man -- amen. >> there has been some talk that somehow the country has changed its view on marriage. what do you think? no. consistentlypolls

going back to california during proposition eight. there waspoll said only 36% support for traditional marriage. guess how that ended? proposition eight passed. although we did suffer some losses in deep blue states this last election. one of the states we focused on for the general election was north carolina. here it for north carolina. even in north carolina, and i was joined by dr. mark ferris and patrick wooden. leaders on the executive committee of the fight north

carolina. even in north carolina the press -- four days before the vote i got a call from the press saying things did not look that good there. we just moving forward. guess what? north carolina past their constitutional amendment by 61%. owe a huge debt of gratitude to our next speaker, kami fitzgerald with the north carolina values coalition. >> good afternoon. is anyone here from north carolina? the state of north carolina became the most recent state in the country to pass a marriage amendment.

by an overwhelming 61%-39%, north carolinians amended their state constitution to say that marriage between one man and one woman is the only valid domestic legal union. in a state where only 35% of the voters are republican, that means it took a substantial majority of democrats and independents voting for marriage as well. we are, after all, the state of billy graham. we are, after all, the state that forced president obama out of the closet on this issue of gay marriage. the vote in north carolina represents the very essence of the democratic process. the people voting to affirm a core value and building block of society, marriage, and this

vote proves one thing. we can win. in north carolina the people recognize that this historic vote -- with this historic vote that marriage comes from god and neither the government nor the church have the right to redefine it. marriage provides benefits to society that no other relationship can. the fact that children need both a mother and a father is self-evident. just look at the devastation of the breakdown of the american family. why would we want to create library definition families that are broken from the start because of the fact that the children and those families are denied either a mother or a father? the needs of children should not be pushed to the back of the bus by changing the very paradigm which god created for their growth to maturity.

it is wrong for this court to upend the voter decision in north carolina and the other 40 states where marriage is between one man and one woman. the supreme court should seize the opportunity to appalled the law that returns -- uphold the law that returns authority to citizens and their elected representative. if there is one lesson that roe versus wade taught us, it is that the court should not determine the final outcome of hotly debated and volatile social policies. that alone belongs to the people. thatere is one lesson people who support natural marriage should learn from north carolina's victory last may it is that we must work tirelessly together. the catholics, protestants, jews, people of all faiths. republicans, democrats, the tea party, those who do not even care about politics. white, black, latino, people of

all races. when we work together we can win. finally, as god told the israelites, do not be afraid for the scourge, it has the battle is not yours, it is god's. thank you. >> i had the opportunity to work with a lot of heroes around the country indifference dates. men and women willing to stand up in the face of adversity. i have also seen some folks who do not exactly fit the profiles in courage award. in new york state there were four senate republicans to pretty well fit that bill. four senate republicans the trade marriage.

some of them -- but trade -- betrayed marriage, some of them after giving commitments to protect marriage. but there was one man who stood up who was not a republican, he was a democrat state senator. -- ae led a mahdi army and mighty army and on the floor of the senate when no republicans would speak, this democratic state senator spoke and lead. he is a hero. i love this man. senator ruben diaz. >> new york city in the house.

now, senator ruben diaz. come on, everybody. [singing in spanish] come on. [singing in spanish] is new york in the house?

everybody from new york -- [cheers] let it be known that new york is here. let it be known that the hispanic people are here. let it be known that we are here. that we are here. one man, one woman, one man, one woman. one man, one woman. one man, one woman. one man, one woman.

let me tell you something. we come from new york. .rom the pride of the bronx anybody from the bronx here? is brooklyn here? is manhattan here? is queens here? is the bronx here? is new jersey here? the city of new york is very liberal. over there you have to be according to what the majority

says. if you arer there democrat and you're not in favor of homosexual marriage you will lose in your election. if you are democrat and you are against abortion you will lose the election. i am a democrat. i am puerto rican. i am black. with kinky hair. i'm a democrat. i am against abortion. .'m against same-sex marriage -- won her- wpm left

last election 89% of the vote. to god be the glory. we left new york city at 11:00 last night. we have not slept. we came on the buses, praising god. bishop eric salgado. .et me tell you something i watched the news cast. the only democratic candidate, conservative, against abortion, ,gainst same-sex marriage

running for mayor of new york city. vice president of radio vision, secretary of radio vision, reverend andy torres, representing queens. why do i say this? is ase radio vision station that promotes the truth of the gospel. .ecause it is the power of god

it is the power of god. it is the power of god. ryan, where are you? come over here. come here, come here. has been a blessing from heaven. , when many have given of us have been through some battles. i has been in a battle in new york. i was not in the battle of california. , or south mississippi

carolina -- north carolina. i have only been in the battle of new york. but this man he has been in every one of those battles. goes around looking for cany to help us so people say appear, it is brian brown and his organization that has promoted, that helps us. god bless brian brown. and god bless you all. god bless every one of you. and god bless the delegation from new york city. and god bless america.

♪ >> are you guys tired? is thet speaker director of domestic policy at the heritage foundation. here inly in the fight d.c., as has been the heritage foundation. an honor to introduce jennifer marshall. >> welcome to washington, marriage marchers. . it is a joy and a privilege to stand with you here today, to

stand for marriage. and we know that we stand for millions of americans who want the freedom to continue telling the truth about marriage. what is that truth? that truth is that marriage reflects the reality that children should have a chance at a mom and a dad. earlier this month, 11-year-old grace evans went to the minnesota legislature and testified before lawmakers who were considering refining marriage. she credited her mother and her father for their significant contributions that each made her live she asked the question -- i note, which parents do need, my mom or my dad? you know what, nobody answered her.

the proponents of redefining marriage cannot answer her question. but we know the answer to grace's question. we have known it throughout american history. we have known it from the beginning of human history. the issue before the supreme court this week is whether we will have the freedom to continue answering grace's question. will we have the freedom to make marriage policy that reflects the truth that children need a mother and father? americans need to live and love as we choose, and we have learned to make do, where for one reason or another a mother and father cannot permanently be together with the children they bring into this world. we have continued to give a unique status in law to the union of a man and a woman.

the only relationship that produces children, as a permanent, monogamous, an exclusive relationship. we uphold this ideal in the interest of children coming in the interest of limited constitutional government, and in the interest of america's future. so we call on the supreme court to uphold these marriage laws and continue to respect the constitutional authority of the american people to make marriage policy. and we will continue to stand for marriage as the union of a manned and a woman. let the supreme court hear your voice now. thank you. >> jennifer briefly mentioned the 11-year-old who testified before the minnesota legislature

and ask a simple question, which one don't i need, my mommy or my daddy? and if we are ready, i would like to show this example of an 11-year-old standing up for marriage. >> please introduce yourself for the record. >> my name is grace evans, and i want to thank you for letting me speak today. the that everyone has had a mom and dad. if you change the law, it would take away --[indiscernible] my mother is very important me. she is kind, thoughtful, and gentle. she cares for me and listens -- [indiscernible] even though i learned these things for my dad, my mom

teaches them and a special way. without her, and would be very hard for me to learn that. she is my role model, and i love her very much. my dad is important to me, because he protect me and helps me get the confidence to the girl who was growing up to be a woman. he takes care of problems in a way that my mom cannot. i would not be able to be the woman i want to be without my dad, because he is strong, wise, and different from my mom. i learned things from him that i would not be able to learn from my mom. since any person needs a mom and a dad to be born, i do not think we need to change that. i know some disagree. which parent do i not need, my mom or my dad? i asked again, which parent do not need, my mom or my dad?

i hope you can see that every child needs a mom and a dad. thank you for letting me speak today. >> thank you. >> the next time someone tries to intimidate you or someone may call you a name because you are standing up for marriage, think about that 11-year-old girl, think about that girl standing up for marriage before a legislature and no one being able to answer that basic question. as the fight has progressed, we have more friends around the world, our friends in france -- with more than 1.5 million people.

i see the french flag over here. let's hear it for france. we're supposed to be the last place where you would see a strong opposition to redefining marriage, and yet in france, i was there on march 24, i was there -- the manifestation before on the eiffel tower, looking at a sea of people. standing together proclaiming the truth about marriage. also, and other places around the world, just a few weeks ago, on very short notice, over 200,000 people rallied in puerto

rico to support traditional marriage. can we hear it for puerto rico? and we are blessed to have one of the leaders in that fight to help assemble those 200,000 folks in puerto rico. it is an honor to introduce wanda rolon. >> good morning. god bless every one of you. the lord has given us. as they said, my name is wanda rolon, and i am so happy to be here with my brothers. it is a great delegation from puerto rico today. given the lord a round of

applause today. we are united today. for one cause, marriage between a man and woman. today marks an important day. in this nation's history. --ne men and a woman will of i evaluate legal arguments on whether marriage could be defined as a legal union of only one man and one woman. [speaking spanish] we have gathered here to let them know without a shadow of a

doubt we stand as a church and the citizens of this great nation. we are not afraid, and we are not ashamed. to openly express that marriage was and shall be ever to be a union between one man and one woman. praise his name. on matthew 19, verse 5, god says, for this reason a man will

leave his father and mother and unite with his wife, and the two will become one. our founding fathers will have never imagined the threat marriage is facing for the same institution we are called to protect. they may not be here today. they left us a legacy -- i said they left us a legacy that we

must defend, because marriage is a pillar of humanity. we stand here defending the rights of the littles that got asked us to do, the children that be brought up in a family composed of a father and a mother. no society, no society can ever reach their full potential without protecting and encouraging traditional family values.

marriage is not a civil right. it is an institution that possesses cultural and legal recognition. due to the unique benefits has to children, adults, and families, and also our society. as brother brian said, a few weeks ago, february 18, over 200,000 people gathered in front

of the capital of san juan of puerto rico, defending our traditional values. catholics, protestants, the jewish, muslims, and even those who have no religious belief, they participated in the biggest event that has ever taken place in puerto rico. they were expressing our defense of traditional marriage and defending the right of children. we are here defending the right of children. repeat and say we are here defending the rights of the children.

they have the right to have a mother and a father. this nation -- i repeat, this nation has a strong latino hispanic heritage. where traditional families are great, significant. whatever the outcome of the supreme court, states and territories of this nation, including puerto rico, will suffer the consequences whether they will be positive or negative.

that is why we are here today. today, this massive movement has reached washington, d.c., to let the president of obama quest to -- to let president obama, the congress, and the supreme court, to let them know, marriage is between a man and woman. marriage is between a man and a woman. children cannot be brought up without a father and a mother.

what we have to do today is bring forth education about families. we got to look back and we got to see where was [indiscernible] the consequences [indiscernible] between a man and a woman. our children have the right of a father and mother. --at is why we parade today to pray today to our god almighty [indiscernible]

the justices, and god bless puerto rico. and god bless america. thank you. god bless you all. >> one of the sponsors of the event and one of the advocacy groups and washington who does so much good for protecting marriage is concerned women for america. we are blessed to have allison

howard to speak with us today. >> thank you for coming out on the side of truth today. thank you. i stand here on behalf of more than 500,000 members of concerned women for america. and i want to take a minute and talk to the grown-ups and the room for a second. do not give up on us young people. don't give up on us on people. the media will tell you that i do not exist. i do exist, and i believe that marriage is between a man and a woman. my culture, my generation grew up in this culture that does nothing to support or protect

marriage. we bear those scars. every young person bears those scars of a culture that sought to force to tear apart our country. ask any little girl who never got to have the embrace and love of her father if it matter to her. ask any little boy who never got to hear the tone of his mother's loving voice, if it mattered to young people know that a mom and a dad is the best model for marriage. and i am going to say yet, the media will tell you that my whole generation is a aboard this same-sex marriage bandwagon. guess what -- every young person here -- i want to hear you -- we are here. we are here, and we do exist.

do not give up on us young people. and when it, we as women, where are my lady's out today? i know you're cold. we as women know what happens at the supreme court has a very serious consequences for us. 40 years ago the nation was having a healthy, robust debate about the beginning of life and abortion. when the supreme court decided to play judicial despots and sweep in and in the process, cutting short for a new constitutional right to abortion. that stark day, nine men in black robes decided for the entire nation the fate of more than 50 million unborn babies lost to abortion today. and the countless women hurting physically, spiritually, and

emotionally by their so-called choice. that day the supreme court robbed us of the chance to debate a life issues and decide for ourselves the best public policy that would take into concern all of its citizens born and unborn. so today, the supreme court faces a very similar matter, don't they? --ey have a chance to up cold uphold marriage laws and return marriage back to the people, the constitutional authority they have to decide marriage law and marriage policy for themselves. i think we are smart enough to figure that out. we do not need another roe v wade, tell them today, let them hear you, we do not need another roe. we don't need another roe. we don't need another roe.

keep marching. thank you for coming. keep marching in support of marriage. >> the next speaker is the director of the latinos partnership for conservative principles. >> good afternoon. [speaking in spanish] my fellow citizens, today we stand together to proclaim our great republic shall endure and continue to prosper to uphold the institution of marriage as

the union between one man and one woman. marriage is something not imposed on society centuries ago. it is a basic institution of society, ordained and defined by nature, to ensure the continuity of the humankind and which provides the ideal setting for the upbringing of our children. it is obvious that only a man and a woman can have children and that children need a mother and father as they grow up. each one of us from our own experience knows that a mother cannot place of a father and a father cannot take the place of a mother. each plays a unique and distinctive biological role in the lives of their children. these are essentials, self- evident truths that no one can

redefine. there is no question that the fundamental principle of equality, which is also defined and ordained by nature and is proclaimed by our constitution, must be guaranteed by our government and defended by our courts, but equality to have any real meaning must be rooted in truth. and so today, for the future and welfare of our country and our children, we call on the supreme court to defend natural law marriage. [speaking in spanish]

in spanish] spanish] in

my fellow americans, let's defend marriage. [speaking in spanish] >> i want to remind everyone that we have tables -- you can sign up to petition the supreme court at the tables. you can make a donation to support traditional marriage. the next speaker you have seen on television, defending the truth about marriage. he is a former republican presidential candidate and the head of american values, gary bauer.

>> good afternoon, pro-family of america. welcome to washington, d.c., and thank you for defending the fundamental institution of our nation, the normal family, the normal marriage between a man and a woman. my friends, you are all standing up against a powerful movement. you know that. .t has got hollywood on its side it has got the culture on its side. it has got that corporate elites and the weak-kneed the politicians get all squishy when they see these folks. what do we have to stand up against that? all we have got is a couple thousand years of western civilization, teachings of every major faith, common-sense, and

the god of abraham, that is who we have got to. my friends, when you are standing up for marriage, you are also standing up for freedom for the american people. 34 states have voted on this issue. they listened to all the arguments, and those states voted that marriage was between a man and a woman. tens of millions of the american people have voted this way. we live at a time when freedom is back in vogue. well, what about the freedom of millions of americans of all races to decide what they want marriage to be? they have decided it. they want it to be between a man and a woman.

my friends, children need mothers and fathers. and so i say shame on the politicians and the judges that are trying to undermine the institution of marriage. i am a republican. many of you i am sure are democrats. i am a republican. let me say to my party, if you bail out on this issue, i will leave the party and i will take as many people with me as i possibly can. so, my friends, all honor to you, all praise to you for standing up for family, faith, and freedom. i am with you, and we are one to

win. god bless you. >> the next speaker is from another co-sponsor for the event, and a leader of the family research council, cathy ruse. >> hi, you brave people for staying through the cold. thank you for staying. i am a lawyer. also a member of the supreme court bar, but i decided not to try to go there, but instead stay here with you and march with this historic march.

i have some good news potentially from people inside the court who were blogging. it appears that justice kennedy is potentially the swing vote on this. well, some lawyers inside the court say he appeared to be not quite that comfortable about overturning proposition 8. so can we say a prayer right now that his discomfort continues? this debate is always framed in terms of the right and the desires of the visit -- of the adults. the children are never mentioned from the other side, but that is the entire reason that government got involved in marriage policy in the first place.